Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Architect and Interior designer couple alters its flat to suit its needs.

With two bedrooms,a rooftop,a kitchen,a balcony and a terrace,it looks large.This is a DDA flat in vasantkunj in Delhi of 1500 square feet which has been beautifully altered to allow more light,air,and more greens in every corner of the room.It has the natural advantages of being south faced and open on all three sides.the balcony has been closed down and the lounge area has been extended into.The owners say"we would rather go in for more clarity of structure and design which has along lasting visual impact."

The flooring has been converted into terracota and the home has thoughtfully placed reminders from places like Istanbul.They have travelled in their college days to Gujarat and Ahmedabad and bought some beautiful curios along the way.The couple has several paintings some of which are abstracts.The frog bench from the road side and the railway sleeper from Mike Knowles.It seems to me that the home has grown on them ..

Monday, June 13, 2011

There has to be no real reason for decoration.You decorate because you want to decorate.I browsed through some intelligent make overs,some arrangements which are artistic,some space management ideas which i thought will be useful for my readers as well.hope you will find these ideas usefulan old door being used in avery stylish way.perk up an old cupboard.it may serve another purpose.Time stands still ,says artist Brinda Miller.She perked up the old clock with the collection of clock parts her father in law had with him.Revitalise an old cabinet creatively.

mobile bar to life with adiscarded piece of furniture..

a radiogram piece used as aside table and being painted by sachin sagare,it has got anew life.tribal beats on walls of collectors home.the enclosed balcony of NAvjot Altaf is peppered with carved wooden sculptures from tribal areas,terracotta wall frames and brass vessels and so on..

Friday, June 10, 2011

The compilation of my Magazine Inspired "home tours",series coming to full form this monsoon.Magazines are always a source of inspiration for me ,by breaking the creativity block,by opening the doors of art and design of homes. Some homes can remain simple ,while some remain beautiful works of art and some maintain their unique space and style.

Now that I am at my native,discovering old magazines,from 80's which have been stashed,safely in shelves,finding a way into my blog..

Hope you will all enjoy these tours...

In Gita Ram's,enchanted forest of ferns,that fills a sun splashed pergola at the entrance of her Madras residence there lurks a rich diversity of forms.For Gita Ram,Secretary of The Crafts Council of India,who has been actively associated with the Crafts Council for the last ten years is a firm believer in the idea that if crafts and craftsmen have to survive their existence depends on crafts becoming an integral part of our everyday lives.Very true isnt it?

the inner courtyard with the traditional tulsi plant and the madhubani is by the artist Paswan.

the family looks out into the verandah and into the courtyard and the rug is from Tilonia and the plamyrah stools are still in the prototype stage and the diwan is form Keralathe main living room with furniture from Taaru .the hanging lamp is from Bangladesh derived from reed skull caps and the kilm is from afghanistan.

staircase is paraqueted with teak and the good luck symbols are from sikkim

the dining room is dominated by a large round table with a richly polished brown marble top.A collage by the name "Bird"by Thotta Tharini,presides over a low table holding a number of interestingly crafted utensils of everyday use.study divan has ceramic tiles on to its backrest.a teak medicine chest with bras inlay.the drawing is by "Devadoss"

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Puja rooms in Indian homes are no longer tucked away in a corner.Today they are given prominence and paid special attention to by the architects and residents.

The Puja room,which was a private space present in every home,has now come out into the open,changing from a personal votive area into a a semipublic space.Although present in every home ,the puja room,always facing east,would generally be located niche in the kitchen,in the store room or in a recessed space under the stairs.A little shelf ,a couple of pictures of dieties,or some Tanjore paintings would consistently this sacred space,and puja implements such as deepams,bells,kolam,on the floor and fresh flowers were all considered routine puja articles and practices.

As awareness of the aesthetic beauty of these implements increased,the puja niche was given a special space within the South Indian home...a tiny,but full fledged room,not tucked away in an unseen corner,but sited in a more inhabited area of the home.

Though the Puja room comprises of only a few square feet of space,its orientation with regard to the other spaces,lighting and ventilation have to considered.Also to sit the dimensions we suggest smaller depictions of TAnjore paintings,mandapams to house the dieties etc.

Now traditional bronze icons ,ornately framed Tanjore paintings,softly glowing brass deepams,all find their place withing the right context,the puja room;this revival is extremely welcome and positive.The best of Indian art pertaining to religion still retains its utility and has found aesthetic expression in its rightful place.

Artistically planned and breathtaking to beholdAn antique piecethe door is wood,filled with tinkling bells and makes noise when openedadjacent and opposite the puja room are the courtayrds that provide ventilation.decorated with old tanjore paintings and deepams

a close up of the deepams

two large glass panes one depicting vinayaka and one depicting lakshmi adorn the two mandapams